Geneva should stop paying tax to France says the MCG

The Geneva Citizens Movement (MCG), a political party known mainly for its outspoken views on workers who live in France but work in Geneva, is calling for a stop to transfers of tax money from Geneva to France. The initiative is part of their campaign for the Federal elections to be held on 18 October 2015.

Eric Stauffer – Source: Facebook – Mouvement Citoyen Genevois

In 1973 the Swiss federal council signed an international agreement with Paris requiring Geneva to pay France around one third of the Swiss taxes levied on French residents who work in Geneva. Some wonder how a canton can overturn an agreement signed by the federal government in Bern. Patrick Dimier, candidate for the national council, argues that the federal council acted on behalf of Geneva when signing the agreement.

National Councillor, and member of the MCG, Roger Golay says that Geneva can no longer afford these payments, which are around the same amount as the expected deficit for 2015. In addition, the party says that the the funds go into France’s central pot rather than being spent on the neighbouring populations that fund them.

With this initiative the party hopes not only to maintain their existing seat on the National council (occupied by Roger Golay) but to gain a second. The outspoken Eric Stauffer is one of five MCG members to have thrown his hat into the ring.

MCG’s pledges include new labour rules favouring Geneva residents, support for the 9 February vote to limit immigration, state pensions that ignore marriage and curfews at centres housing asylum seekers.